Dispenser for paper towels



G. H. DUNN.

DISPENSER FOR PAPER TOWELS. APPLIGATION FILED JAN.30,19I7.

1,413,656. Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

' pulled pressing,

UNITED ST AE FFIE.

GEORGE HAROLD DUNN, OF OAK PARK,' ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO- AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF I Q'EW J ERSEY.

msrmrsrin FOR PAPER rowELs Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dispensers for Paper Towels,

of which the following is a specification.

,This invention relates in general to dispensers for interfolded sheets and has more particular reference to dispensers for paper towels designed for the dispensing of sald towels singly.

Prior to m invention I am aware that it has been the custom to provide a box. in which the towels interfolded successively may be locked, the lowermost towel of a pile contained therein having an edge or end disposed through a slot provided for the purpose in the bottom of the box.- Since these towels are designed for toilet purposes, the hands of persons withdrawing. them are usually wet and unless the towels come easily through the slot tearing results from the combined dampness and pull, requiring the frequent attention of attendants. Effort has been made to overcome this by placing rollers at the edges of the slot and by. rounding the surfaces at its point, but this has not been the chief frictional resistance to the withdrawal of the interfolded sheets occurs where' the fold in the sheet must'be straightened out as the sheet slides through the slot. The folds in piles of sheets of this character are located along the side edges of the box and When the end depending through the slot is the fold is first bent downwardly in the structures provided prior to my invention, with considerable force upon the bottom of the box. v

My present invention has for a princlpal object the provision of a structure which wil permit the folds to straighten out without this incidental frictional resistance and has for a purpose also the provision of a structure facilitating generally the removal of towels through a reduction of th'e friction tured and the parts of which will be so cons'tructed and arranged as to be durable and not likely to require re air. Other objects and a vantages of the in- I Specification of Letters Patent.

disposed longitudinally and pm the invention 1s the Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

Application filed January 30, 1917. Serial No. 145,554.

vention will be apparent as it is better un derstood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

On the drawing,

Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a box embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional .view

thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a pileof interfolded sheets'placed on the drawing to show the method of interfold usually adopted; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail disclosing the mannerin which a box embodying my present invention permits the fold of the sheets to straighten out without great frictional resistance.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown on the drawing a box 5 which except for certain improvements mayv be of any preferred form and construction and which except as to these improvements will not require particular description.

This box is, however, adapted to contain a pile ofinterfolded sheets ortowels of. the character shown in Fig. 3. Viewingthis figure it will be noted that the bottommost towel has an end 6 coming from a relatively sharp fold 7 extending along one side of the pile. A similar end .8 of the towel next above rests upon the end 6 and extends al-. most to the fold 7.- From the fold 7 the towel having the end 6 extends to the opposite side of the pile where it is given a fold 9 placing a short end 10 back upon the body of the towel. The pile oftowels' thus assembled and constructed is placed within the box with the end'6 fed throuf'gh-a 'slot 11 erably centrally of itsbottonj1j12. The endG is adapted'to be pulled toremove the lowermost towel and in this operation pulls down the end 8 of the towel next aboveit,.leaving the end 8 in the position previously occupied providea pair of supports 13for thestack- 'of towels, each of these supports consisting ofidn'ietal sheet having side flanges 14 secured upon the bottom 12 and having the central or body part 15 curved upwardly as shown on the drawing; This arrangement permits the fold 7,]. as shown in Fig. 4;,"to

a dispenser embodying my invention I I first bend downwardly when the end 6 is pulled and to straighten out before passing the support. This straightening of the fold is indicated in dotted lines in the figure. The upper or outer surface of the supports 13 is of bright material and is not lithographed or coated with varnish, paint, or

' of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and

it will be apparent that various changes may be made 1n the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention of sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

ll claim:

L A dispenser for folded sheets of paper and the lilre which are superposed one on the ether in agravitating pile with their 5 folds arranged at the opposite sides of such pile, ceniprising an. enclosing receptacle ,ese

provided with a longitudinal central slot in the bottom thereof, said bottom being also provided with elevated and rounded smooth longitudinal antifriction surfaces arranged at the opposite sides of the slot and near the side walls of the receptacle and relatively remote from said slot, and supporting said pile and the lowermost folded sheet at two points close to the folds of the sheet, so as to cause with certainty the folds of the sheet which-is being withdrawn to straighten out smoothly without disarranging the sheet next above.

2. A dispenser for folded sheets of paper and the like which are superposed one on the other in a gravitating pile with their folds arranged at the opposite sides of such pile, comprising an enclosing receptacle provided with a longitudinal central slot in the bottom thereof, said bottom being also provided with rounded antifriction surfaces of smooth shiny metal elevated above said bottom and arranged at the opposite sides of the slot, and supporting said pile and the lowermost folded sheet at each side of the slot so as to cause with certainty the folds of the sheet which is being withdrawn to straighten out smoothly under a relatively light pull without disarranging the sheet next above.

Signed in the presence of two subscrih ing witnesses.

enonsn nanonn DUNN. /Vitnesses Ween, Ma llama Bazaar, 

